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Ryker’s pulse jumped as he registered the precarious position they were in. The truck zoomed closer, set on a collision course. Ahead was a sedan with children visible in the back seat. More vehicles were on the frontage road, all of them full of innocent civilians who could be injured in a collision if he lost control of his SUV and slammed into them. Then there was Hannah and Charlotte. Precious cargo.
What to do? If he didn’t move, the truck would crash into him. If he did, would the driver hit the sedan with the kids? Neither option was good. Ryker flipped on his flashers and honked his horn with fury, hoping it would encourage the sedan’s driver to speed up. Rude, yes. But this wasn’t a time to cater to the normal rules of the road. “Move… move… please move.”
The sedan in front of him shot ahead as the driver took the hint and pressed on the gas. It safely exited the ramp into the flow of traffic. But the truck was already on them. His bumper kissed theirs. Ryker’s head jerked back with the force of the impact. Charlotte’s cries increased in intensity. The truck’s engine revved as the driver prepared for another hit. Ryker gripped the steering wheel with both hands and made a calculated decision.
“Hold on, Hannah.” He twisted the wheel and sent the SUV into the grass. The all-weather tires gripped the dirt with precision. Aiming for a hole in the vehicles on the frontage road, Ryker ignored the way his body bounced in the seat as they reemerged onto the road. Charlotte’s cries became full-on screams. His heart broke for the baby. She and Hannah must be terrified, but there was no time to comfort them. His sole mission had to be keeping them safe.
His gaze shot to the truck. The driver had slammed on his brakes and was attempting to maneuver back into position behind them. Ryker didn’t want to give him time to catch up. He kept a steady pressure on the gas pedal as the turn onto a country road appeared. That would work. “Hang on once more, Han. This is going to be rough.”
Brake lights would alert the driver of the truck to Ryker’s intention. He couldn’t slow down before taking the turn. A quick glance in the rearview mirror confirmed no one was behind him except for the white truck, which was once again picking up speed. The driver was determined to hit them. Rage threatened to narrow Ryker’s vision. Hurting Hannah was bad enough, but putting Charlotte in danger brought things to a whole new level.
He wrangled his emotions back under control with a deep breath and focused on the turn up ahead. A quick prayer for safety whispered through his heart. Three seconds. Two.
Now.
He took his foot off the gas as he turned the wheel, hand over hand, toward the country road. His breath caught. The SUV’s tires clipped the edge of the road, threatening to roll them, but then found purchase. They shot into the opposite lane. Ryker quickly maneuvered them back onto the correct side of the street. He glanced in the rearview mirror in time to see the truck whizz past. But the relief was short-lived. Charlotte’s screams continued to fill the cab of the vehicle.
He slowed down. “Hannah, are you two okay?”
“Yes. Charlotte’s shaken, but we’re not hurt.”
Her voice was soothing as she spoke to the baby. Moments later, Charlotte’s cries lessened to whimpers and then stopped. Ryker glanced at them in his rearview mirror. Hannah was pale, the faint freckles dancing across her nose standing out in stark relief against her skin. She glanced behind them. “We lost him?”
“For the time being.” He quickly called Eli and provided his colleague with an update. “I’m taking Charlotte and Hannah directly to my ranch via a back road. Communicate with the troopers that were in route. See if they can find the truck.”
“Will do. Call me if you run into more trouble.”
Ryker hung up. “We’ll be at the ranch in fifteen minutes.”
He stayed on high alert while navigating the country roads and sighed with relief when the SUV bounced over the cattle guard at the entrance of Blue Stone Ranch. A camera hung over the gate, more hid in the trees.
Pecan trees lined the paved path and horses grazed in open fields. Several barns sat in the distance. Bluebonnets dotted the grass leading up to the main house. There was no other sign of the white truck, and while it wouldn’t take a criminal long to connect the property with Ryker, the advanced security system made it nearly impossible to conduct a surprise attack.
The tension eased from Hannah’s shoulders as the gate closed behind their vehicle. She leaned forward to take in the view. “Wow. This place is beautiful. Did you grow up here?”
“From the time I was thirteen. My dad—Jack—is actually my stepfather.” His jaw tightened. “My real father died when I was a baby in a car accident. I never knew him. Jack adopted me when I was fifteen, so I’m officially a Montgomery.” He pointed out a small cottage tucked in a grove of pecan trees with its own entrance. “That’s my place. My cousin, Walker, and his wife will stay there for the next few days while I take a spare bedroom at the main house.”
The setup would make it easier to protect Hannah and Charlotte should anything go wrong. Ryker prayed it wouldn’t, but he’d take precaution after precaution anyway.
“You live here with your parents?”
The surprise in her voice brought a smile to his face. He slanted a glance in her direction. “I’m a Mama’s boy in all the best ways. She doesn’t do my laundry or my cooking, but we take care of each other. After my dad died, it was just the two of us for a long time. Then Jack came into the picture. His huge extended family took us into their fold. The Montgomerys can be loud, and everyone is in everyone else’s business, but I love them. If anyone in the family needs help, someone is always there.”
Hannah sighed. “That sounds wonderful.” She leaned back to check on Charlotte. “My dad died when I was in elementary school and I lost my mom shortly after college. Neither of them had extended family, so it was just my brother and I for a long time. Then he met Danielle, and they got married. She’s a foster kid, so no family of her own either.”
“What about your late husband? Do you have a relationship with his family?”
“I do, but Patrick was never very close to them. His parents had a troubled marriage, and the household wasn’t a happy one.” She lifted a narrow shoulder. “It’s just me, Ben, and Danielle. The three of us support and help each other. And, of course, we have Charlotte. I wouldn’t trade them for the world, although I’ve always longed for a big family with loads of get-togethers and crazy holidays.”
Her tone was wistful, and it threatened to shatter Ryker’s heart. The burden on her shoulders, the amount of loss she’d suffered… it was painful to think about. The last thing Hannah needed or deserved was a madman hunting her down. Ryker wanted to do more than protect her. He desired to care for her. To lift some of those boulders she carried with such grace onto his own shoulders.
He caught her gaze in the rearview mirror. “If crazy holidays and get-togethers are on your bucket list, then you’re in luck. Montgomerys adopt people into the clan. I wouldn’t be surprised if you become an honorary member after one day with my mom and dad.” His lips lifted in a smile. “You’ve been warned.”
She laughed in reply, exactly as he’d hoped.
The main house came into view. Ryker parked in the circular drive just as the front door opened. His mother, Zoe, hurried down the porch steps on soft-soled shoes. She was dressed comfortably in slacks and a T-shirt, her silvery hair cropped in a pixie cut that framed her delicate features.
Ryker’s dad, Jack, followed behind her. The former soldier walked with long strides, a golden Labrador—Oliver—at his side. A holster rode one hip. Lines wore deep grooves in his face, but for a man pushing seventy, he was amazingly healthy. He was also kind. Jack had come into their lives when Ryker was going through some rough teenage years. He’d never been a bad kid, but admittedly, there’d been poor choices. Especially after Alison died.
